In automotive applications, an electronically actuated locking differential of the related art may be actuated electronically and is designed for forward-wheel-drive (FWD), rear-wheel-drive (RWD), all-wheel-drive (AWD), and four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles to allow the differential to be locked or unlocked when it is so desired. The driver can lock the front and/or rear wheels by manually activating a switch or button mounted to a dash or console of the vehicle. In this type of torque-controlling device, the armature is allowed to spin or rotate with the differential and the armature is not mechanically attached to a lock plate within the differential.
While locking differentials of this type have generally worked for their intended purposes, certain disadvantages remain. More specifically, these arrangements limit the ability to electronically sense the locked state of the differential. Further, adding a sensor to a rotating armature might be a cause for increased costs because the sensor is non-contacting. Also, wear and durability become a concern with any sensor being attached to a rotating armature.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for an electronically actuated locking differential that is capable of locking the right-hand and left-hand axles independent of the driveline rotation and allow them to remain locked independent of vehicle direction. In particular, there is a need in the related art for an electronically actuated locking differential that incorporates these features.